Comments on: I get bored with baseball too, but Adderall isn't the answer.http://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer/
Comments on MetaFilter post I get bored with baseball too, but Adderall isn't the answer.Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:04:49 -0800Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:04:49 -0800en-ushttp://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss60I get bored with baseball too, but Adderall isn't the answer.http://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer
What do NASCAR's <a href="http://www.ajallmendinger.com/bio.php">AJ</a> <a href="http://espn.go.com/racing/nascar/cup/story/_/id/8396117/aj-allmendinger-reinstated-nascar-drug-suspension">Allmendinger</a>, <a href="http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/team/roster/Joe-Haden/139a20cc-92d4-4d34-9afc-6201f748db19">Joe</a> <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2012/10/joe_haden_apologizes_to_clevel.html">Haden</a> of the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants safety <a href="http://www.giants.com/team/roster/Tyler-Sash/520c5059-b602-4d0f-ad2f-eda78bf9b9c4">Tyler</a> <a href="http://espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/story/_/id/8219721/tyler-sash-new-york-giants-suspended-four-games">Sash</a>, <a href="http://www.ldnews.com/ci_22075148/phils-ruiz-suspended-25-games-after-positive-test?source=most_viewed">Carlos</a> "<a href="http://www.philliesnetwork.com/?p=7246">Chooch</a>" <a href="http://www.ldnews.com/ci_22075148/phils-ruiz-suspended-25-games-after-positive-test?source=most_viewed">Ruiz</a> of the Philadelphia Phillies, and <a href="http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/6/29/3104332/is-there-an-adhd-epidemic-in-major-league-baseball">many other athletes</a> have in common?
They have all used a <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2012/11/27/adderall-in-pro-sports/1730431/">performance enhancing substance</a> that is growing in popularity among athletes, one that is widely prescribed and which is taken by millions of children every day. The drug in question is <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000166/">Adderall</a>: <em>The combination of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine is used as part of a treatment program to control symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.</em> <br /><br />Professional leagues <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000091918/article/will-hill-nfls-ban-of-adderall-could-cause-problems">generally allow</a> the use of Adderall for treatment purposes. <em><a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/Adderall-MLBs-latest-performance-enhancing-drug.html">As it pertains to Major League Baseball</a>, in 2011 a total of 105 players were granted exemptions under the league's drug policy to fill prescriptions for Adderall according to an NBCSports.com article. That's about one in every 10 players, a much higher rate than the general population.</em>
Adderall is said to enhance performance and stamina, but some sources claim that the potential boost in physical performance is <a href="http://www2.tbo.com/lifestyles/breaking-news/2012/oct/30/adderall-boost-for-athletes-might-be-just-a-myth-ar-548384/">a bit of a myth</a> and that one amphetamine can not be distinguished from others in a test, so Adderall may only be <a href="http://www.blisstree.com/2012/08/10/live/athletes-on-adderall-really-scraping-the-bottom-of-the-performance-enhancement-barrel-130/">a convenient excuse</a> for use of illegal amphetamines. In the NFL the type of drug the athlete has tested positive for is not released publicly, and <a href="http://nesn.com/2012/11/former-nfl-player-says-adderall-is-being-used-as-excuse-for-ped-suspensions-not-as-stimulant/">suspicions have been raised</a> that athletes are claiming a failed test for Adderall rather than drugs such as <a href="http://www.teachpe.com/drugs/steroids.php">steroids</a> or <a href="http://www.teachpe.com/drugs/hgh.php">HGH</a> that have a less innocent reputation. Other NFL players simply <a href="http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000101611/article/source-richard-sherman-says-he-accidently-ingested-adderall">drank from the wrong bottle.</a> <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/richard-sherman-claims-accidentally-ingested-adderall-brandon-browner-034422856--nfl.html">(Or maybe there was a sample switch.)</a>
<a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/roiphe/2012/06/adderall_addiction_is_a_sad_form_of_rebellion_.html">Adderall use is common performance enhancer among students</a>: <em>Even the phrase "the study drug" seems mildly contradictory, an oddly tame and constructive form of rebellion, a prescription drug abuse with a very modest, one could say almost praiseworthy goal: to concentrate a little better on a paper or test.</em>
<a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0809/p01s04-usmi.html">Similar stimulants are used to maintain alertness in battle</a>: <em>According to military sources, the use of such drugs (commonly Dexedrine) is part of a cycle that includes the amphetamines to fight fatigue, and then sedatives to induce sleep between missions. Pilots call them "go pills" and "no-go pills."</em>
Adderall is <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/81359-abused-prescription-drugs/">one of</a> the most commonly abused prescription drugs, and professional athletes may be <a href="http://blogs.psychcentral.com/addiction-recovery/2012/08/athletes-prescription-drug-addiction/">primed for addiction</a> in unique ways: <em>A study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, which tracked competitive runners in the U.S. and triathletes in Hong Kong, found more than half had compulsive-exercise tendencies. As Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton described it when he was sidelined with a back injury, "alcohol and drugs were the closest thing I could find to getting that feeling when I was playing the game."</em>post:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275Tue, 27 Nov 2012 23:56:21 -0800Drinky DiedrugsAdderallamphetaminesportssteroidsHGHNFLMLBPEDNASCARBy: dunkadunchttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705769
Will they ban the consumption of coffee before events, too?comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705769Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:04:49 -0800dunkaduncBy: dunkadunchttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705770
Or cracking champagne or even a beer afterwards.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705770Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:05:17 -0800dunkaduncBy: twoleftfeethttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705775
Not many of us remember the old ADHD League. It was the bottom of the ninth, score was tied, bases were loaded, three fouls and two strikes.
Sorry.
Kittens.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705775Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:24:19 -0800twoleftfeetBy: dunkadunchttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705779
I mean really? Adderall? That stuff is as tame as milk.
The last thing we need in this world is more laws to punish people with.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705779Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:29:47 -0800dunkaduncBy: PeterMcDermotthttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705812
<em>The last thing we need in this world is more laws to punish people with.</em>
Personally, I couldn't care whether atheletes were freebasing cocaine before competing, but the rules of sporting competitions hardly count as laws.
If you don't like the rules, go compete elsewhere.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705812Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:17:13 -0800PeterMcDermottBy: twoleftfeethttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705814
<i>I couldn't care whether atheletes were freebasing cocaine before competing</i>
I like the old days, when you could win by a nose.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705814Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:20:59 -0800twoleftfeetBy: HuronBobhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705824
I've heard that a good nap before an event can increase your performance.
<small> I've said too much, haven't I?</small>comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705824Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:51:39 -0800HuronBobBy: XhaustedProphethttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705826
Fans of the 1980's Pittsburgh Pirates weren't too keen on them using the cocaine. It didn't work out too well.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705826Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:55:55 -0800XhaustedProphetBy: twoleftfeethttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705835
I was always impressed with the pole vaulting team, who were all rabid coke users, because they would show up with really long straws. If I remember correctly.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705835Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:15:39 -0800twoleftfeetBy: Lipstick Thespianhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705838
In all seriousness, as someone with ADHD but no medical benefits right now, it really pisses me off when this kind of thing gets press because it makes it that much harder for people who actually need drugs like Adderall so they can function to actually get them. To someone like me, Adderall isn't a "performance enhancer" - it's just a way to experience "baseline normal."comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705838Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:29:46 -0800Lipstick ThespianBy: kersplunkhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705839
<em>In the NFL the type of drug the athlete has tested positive for is not released publicly</em>
Anyone got a reason for this?comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705839Wed, 28 Nov 2012 03:34:24 -0800kersplunkBy: kuaneshttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705857
@kersplunk - I believe that may be part of the Players' Association agreement with the NFL.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705857Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:14:41 -0800kuanesBy: surplushttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705865
"coffee" "tame as milk"
I don't trust the pharma industry to warn me if Adderall is dangerous.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705865Wed, 28 Nov 2012 04:33:45 -0800surplusBy: gjchttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705889
Amphetamine is one of the oldest and safest drugs out there. <b>When used in a therapeutic context, at therapeutic levels.</b> There is a vast chasm between therapeutic use and performance enhancing abuse.
I would not want to be denied the chance to compete in professional athletics, simply because I happen to suffer from ADHD.
The thing with baseball, in particular, is that part of the game is that the season is a long, boring drag. Teams that win are the teams that combine good play on the field with coping with the drag of a long season.
I can say with some authority (as a ADHD sufferer who uses Adderall), that if someone uses it as a performance enhancer, they aren't going to win in the long run. What goes up must come down.
That said, amphetamine abuse is somewhat of a baseball tradition. I heard an announcer tell a funny "old baseball" story of a guy- it might have been Pete Rose, or someone like that from that time- taking his pregame "greenie" right before a rain delay struck.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705889Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:23:01 -0800gjcBy: bardichttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705914
Real men pitch no-hitters<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vUhSYLRw14"> tripping balls on LSD</a>.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705914Wed, 28 Nov 2012 05:56:14 -0800bardicBy: srboisverthttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705927
<em>Will they ban the consumption of coffee before events, too?</em>
They already did! Caffeine levels were regulated by the World Anti Doping Association up until 2004. Part of the reason it was dropped as a performance enhancing drug was that it becomes performance inhibiting at a very low level due to its affects on coordination.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705927Wed, 28 Nov 2012 06:04:22 -0800srboisvertBy: nathancaswellhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4705937
Man, if you guys are comparing Adderall to coffee then I would like a cup of your coffee every morning cause Adderall gets me fucking WIRED.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4705937Wed, 28 Nov 2012 06:12:54 -0800nathancaswellBy: caddishttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706005
<em>I mean really? Adderall? That stuff is as tame as milk. </em>
milk with a high addition potentialcomment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706005Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:04:30 -0800caddisBy: yerfatmahttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706017
<em>I believe that may be part of the Players' Association agreement with the NFL</em>
<a href="http://www.csnne.com/football-new-england-patriots/patriots-talk/Whats-the-benefit-of-Adderall-for-NFL-pl?blockID=806653&feedID=4023">That's correct.</a> An NFL player who fails a drug test can claim it was for Adderall regardless of what the actual drug was because the NFL cannot refute it per the CBA. You can thank <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2012/11/27/adderall-in-pro-sports/1730431/">Garrett Hartley</a> for the technique.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706017Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:11:26 -0800yerfatmaBy: caddishttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706022
(maybe if I had some Adderall this morning I wouldn't be dropping lettrs as I typ)comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706022Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:12:37 -0800caddisBy: guiseroomhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706066
Lately it seems like the whole world is on Adderall.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706066Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:44:32 -0800guiseroomBy: Lucindahttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706108
<i>In all seriousness, as someone with ADHD but no medical benefits right now, it really pisses me off when this kind of thing gets press because it makes it that much harder for people who actually need drugs like Adderall so they can function to actually get them. To someone like me, Adderall isn't a "performance enhancer" - it's just a way to experience "baseline normal."</i>
Articles like this piss me off because it makes me worry that while I *have* been diagnosed as ADHD by my doctor, I'm really just lazy and am using it as a "performance enhancer."comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706108Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:09:59 -0800LucindaBy: Berhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706117
I used to take Adderall until my wife got fed up with my constant drymouth. For me, it was this cool smooth day-long ride that took away the tangents my brain would normally come up with. Of course I also lost that beautiful extreme focus which was good for deadlines, etc. I can't say I was ever wired - it was more the opposite of wired.
That said, anyone not with ADHD/ADD would likely get a good buzz off the stuff. Not a tremendous buzz but better than a couple cups of coffee.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706117Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:14:01 -0800BerBy: nathancaswellhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706121
Articles like this piss me off because I *haven't* been diagnosed as ADHD and therefore getting access to Adderall to use as a performance enhancer is a pain in the ass.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706121Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:14:51 -0800nathancaswellBy: delfinhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706131
Anyone with a firsthand view of the Phillies' 2012 season needed SOME kind of amphetamines to put up with it.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706131Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:21:34 -0800delfinBy: tonycpsuhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706135
As a Phillies fan, seeing Ruiz test positive makes me very sad, because he's a very likable, unassuming player who had a career year in 2012. As a sports fan in general, it's gotten to the point where every time I see any sort of outlying season, I'm going to immediately suspect PEDs. The SABR nerds should start working on some sort of doping probability statistic based on the likelihood that the player's skill set has gotten better versus some sort of chemical enhancement.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706135Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:23:25 -0800tonycpsuBy: feloniousmonkhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706161
I find it hard to argue with any substance bans in auto racing due to the razor's edge away from death everyone is at pretty much all times. This is less of an issue, say, on the PGA tour.
That said, it seems like there has been a crazy uptick in cases of people getting caught lately. I wonder if this is just one of those cyclical things.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706161Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:44:55 -0800feloniousmonkBy: dioshttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706308
<a href="http://www.mydamnchannel.com/don_was/wasmopolitan_records/toddsnideramericasfavoritepastime_1485.aspx">Todd Snider's song America's Favorite Pastime</a> about Dock Ellis, who would laugh at Adderall, and the combination of hallucinogenic drugs and athleticism.
Not be confused with Todd Snider's <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhcQ6rWdjkw">funny 12 minute story</a> about his personal experience with hallucinogenic drugs and high school football told at Bonnaroo... stick with it.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706308Wed, 28 Nov 2012 10:10:25 -0800diosBy: mrgrimmhttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706501
<i> The SABR nerds should start working on some sort of doping probability statistic based on the likelihood that the player's skill set has gotten better versus some sort of chemical enhancement.</i>
You can pry Jose Bautista from my cold, dead hands.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706501Wed, 28 Nov 2012 12:01:11 -0800mrgrimmBy: Drinky Diehttp://www.metafilter.com/122275/I-get-bored-with-baseball-too-but-Adderall-isnt-the-answer#4706649
<em>I find it hard to argue with any substance bans in auto racing due to the razor's edge away from death everyone is at pretty much all times.</em>
But if it really helps you focus, it could<strong> improve</strong> safety.comment:www.metafilter.com,2012:site.122275-4706649Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:40:57 -0800Drinky Die